Vision Logo Circle
Vision Logo Circle
Fundations

Foundations Notes

God & Man: The Ancient Jewish Wedding Pt 6

In the last program we began to look at the different elements that were part of the tradition of the Ancient Jewish Wedding. All this is in the context of God’s relationship with man, God’s intimate relationship with Israel and now, Jesus’ relationship with the church. The three main players in this tradition were the [...]

God & Man: The Ancient Jewish Wedding Pt 5

We’ve spent some time learning about God’s relationship with Israel and how God Himself describes that relationship as that of a husband and his wife. We also know that everything in the Bible is significant and even if we can’t initially see it, it has prophetic significance. There is also a great deal of rich [...]

God & Man: God’s Relationship With Israel Pt 3

Almost at the end of Ezekiel 16, after telling Israel His wife of the punishments she’d endure, God promised that He’d remember the covenant He made with her when she was young, and would in fact enter an ‘everlasting covenant’ with her.

God & Man: God’s Relationship With Israel Pt 2

God made Adam and Eve, the first married couple that once joined, became ‘one flesh’ and we learned that in that context, God described His relationship with His people like that of a marriage, and that’s what we’re going to look at over the next few programs.

God & Man: Echad Pt 1

God created Adam and Eve, they became the first married couple, the first two people created by God, the first two human beings to breath God joined together and said they were one flesh, and the word ‘one’ is echad.

The Purpose Of The Law? Pt 4

The primary reason for the giving of the Law is to reveal what sin is, to make us aware of how utterly sinful we are, how perfect and holy God is and how far away we are from Him.

The Purpose Of The Law? Pt 3

God gave the Jewish people the Law after their rescue so that they would know what sin was and that they were law breakers, as well as a system that would provide them a temporary means of forgiveness through animal sacrifices.

The Purpose Of The Law? Pt 2

Mosaic Covenant was not only broken by God’s people repeatedly, it was completed through the sacrifice of Jesus the Messiah and since there’s no Temple in existence today, it’s not possible to fulfill the rituals and sacrifices anymore either.

Advice For History Future Pt 2

Isaiah 46:9-10, God said through the prophet, “Remember the former things long past, for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is no one like Me, declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things which have not been done, saying, “My purpose will be established and [...]

Advice For History Future Pt 1

If prophecy wasn’t important, God wouldn’t have included so much of it in His Word. All His Word is prophecy, be it instructive or predictive, but the predictive prophecy is what we tend to focus on when we think of prophecy. Remember that Jesus told the religious leaders of His day that all pointed to [...]

Thorns In The Bible Pt 2

Last time we looked at the meaning of ‘The Law of First Mention’ and how the first time a thing is mentioned in the Bible it provides us with the original meaning of that thing. The next time you read about that thing, you’ll already have a basic understanding of what the text is saying. [...]

Thorns In The Bible Pt 1

What is the ‘Law of First Mention?” This is the answer I read from the Got Questions website. ‘The law (or principle or rule) of first mention is a guideline that some people use for studying Scripture. The Law of First Mention says that, to understand a particular word or doctrine, we must find the [...]

In Or Out Of Control? Pt 2

Last time we began looking at some Jewish history and prophecy, particularly the book of Malachi, and how God warned the religious leadership of impending judgment, particularly the priesthood, because they were very corrupt and keeping the best of the tithes and offerings for themselves. We also looked at Jeremiah 24, and a prophecy that [...]

In Or Out Of Control? Pt 1

Sometimes when we read about some of the things Jesus did we can get a little confused because they seem to be out of character for the Son of God. For example, He cursed a fig tree for not having any fruit on it and He seemingly lost His temper in the Temple. Neither of [...]

How Praise Is Linked To Victory In The Hebrew Language

John 16:33, Jesus said, “These things I’ve spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I’ve overcome the world.” This is an encouraging verse to begin with! J It has to be said that it’s not a question of if we’ll have troubles [...]

Hineni: Here I Am, Send Me!

There is a powerful word in Hebrew that sums up three words in English. The word is hineni (הנני), which means “Here I am!” But you’ve got to watch out how you say it, because it’s a way of expressing total readiness to give oneself. We mentioned it in our last program when we learned about how [...]

Abraham: Friend Of God

We’ve talked in previous programs about the fact that we’re bond-slaves to Christ. This is absolutely true. But just like the many and varied names of God reveal different characteristics to God’s nature and personality, we can be children, slaves and friends of God all at the same time because our relationship with Him is [...]

The Feast of First Fruits Passover Part 8

Leviticus 23:9-14, 'Then the Lord spoke to Moses saying, "Speak to the sons of Israel and say to them, 'When you enter the land which I am going to give to you and reap its harvest, then you shall bring in the sheaf of the first fruits of your harvest to the priest. He shall [...]

Foundations – The Meaning of Passover Part 6

Jesus fulfils every element of the Passover and is Himself the means for our freedom from slavery to sin and redemption from our own sinful lives and He paid for that redemption with His own blood. This has resulted in death passing over us so we can experience new life in Him.

Foundations – The Meaning of Passover Part 5

This cup is drunk in celebration of deliverance as the people were led out of Egypt, finally free of their slavery. We too, celebrate for the same reason, deliverance was given because God granted us mercy through the sacrifice of His Son.

Repeat Yourself? Pt 2

Last time on Foundations we began looking at the issue of prayer and in particular, repeating our prayers which in some quarters is seen as a lack of faith. However, we saw through the example of the prophet Elijah, who knew the voice of God and had seen the power of God demonstrated in extraordinary [...]

Foundations – The Meaning of Passover Part 4

This washing with water is not about physical hygiene, it’s a symbolic ritual for spiritual renewal and cleansing in much the same way that water baptism isn’t about physical hygiene, but rather spiritual death and rebirth.

Repeat Yourself? Pt 1

Luke 18:1-8, this is a parable of Jesus. ‘Now He was telling them a parable to show that at all times they ought to pray and not to lose heart, saying, “In a certain city there was a judge who didn’t fear God and didn’t respect man. There was a widow in that city and [...]

Foundations – The Meaning of Passover Part 2

It was a blatant anti-Semitic decision to sever any kind of Jewish connection to the commemoration of the death and resurrection of Jesus which resulted in both the excommunication and sometimes execution of believers who wanted to continue their celebration of Easter on the dates of the Jewish Passover, because they were in fact, the correct dates.

The Trinity Pt 3

In the last couple of programs we’ve been discussing the Trinity. This is a complex doctrine, it’s not easy to understand and for the Jewish mind it’s incomprehensible. But there are many references in the Old Covenant portion of the Bible that identify the personages that make up the Godhead; The Father, The Son and [...]

The Trinity Pt 2

We began to look at the subject of the Trinity last time, it’s not a small or even easy subject to get our head around. To the Jewish mind it’s idolatrous because it appears to be the worship of three gods. The idea that God would have a Son is also hard to comprehend in [...]

The Trinity Pt 1

Probably more than any other doctrine in the Christian faith, the doctrine of the Trinity is the most difficult one for Jewish people to deal with. Trying to get their head around God having a Son who came to earth in human form is just too great a stretch to believe. They’re not alone either, [...]

The Blessing Of The Dew Pt 2

In our last program we learned the difference between the characteristics of rain and dew, and that from the time of the very first Passover, the Jewish people have prayed for dew and one of the lines from that prayer asks God to bring a light out of the darkness and to draw Israel to [...]

The Blessing Of The Dew Pt 1

The word “dew” appears 36 times in 35 verses in the NASB translation of the Bible, and it is primarily seen as a blessing. It’s used poetically and symbolically in quite a lot of places, and it’s a different kind of blessing to the blessing of rain. Going all the way back to the very [...]

Who Were The Levites? Pt 3

For the past two programs we’ve been learning about the priestly tribe of Levi. Moses and Aaron were Levites, and after the debacle of the Golden Calf in the wilderness, the Levites were chosen by God to be a sacred and priestly representation to Him and before the rest of the Israelites. They weren’t given [...]

Who Were The Levites? Pt 2

So last time we learned that the event of the Golden Calf was a pivotal point in Hebrew history, and the Levites chose to mete out God’s judgment against the other Hebrews who refused to repent of the idolatry and debauchery. It’s generally believed in Jewish tradition that it was this decision that saw God [...]

Who Were The Levites? Pt 1

We’ve been learning about the various religious groups and sects within Judaism, and while the entire nation of the Hebrews were supposed to be a priestly nation before all the nations of the world, there was one tribe in particular that was specifically selected to be a priestly tribe to their own nation and that [...]

What Was The Sanhedrin?

We’ve been learning about Jewish denominations, or particular religious groups within Judaism in the 1st century and a group that is often referred to is the Sanhedrin, but not many people know who they were, what their job was and why they even existed. They were in fact a very important group and they date [...]

Who Were The Zealots Pt 2

Last time we learned about the establishment of the Zealots and the Sicarii who were a bit of a break-away group of political assassins. We finished by learning about the last stronghold of the Zealots at Masada, but I wanted to tell you about another stronghold they had in the Galilee overlooking the Sea of [...]

Who Were The Zealots Pt 1

Who were the Zealots? The Bible doesn’t give much of a definition of them, only that they existed and were noted as using violent resistance against Rome. We know that one of the disciples was a Zealot. Matthew 10:2-4, ‘Now the names of the twelve apostles are these: The first, Simon, who is called Peter, [...]

Who Were The Essenes? Pt 2

In our last program we learned about the Essenes, a group not directly mentioned in the Bible, but possibly alluded to by Paul when he wrote to the Colossian church. These were a group of breakaway religious Jews who chose to live away from the corruption in the Temple and the error of the teachings [...]

Who Were The Essenes? Pt 1

The Essenes were essentially a breakaway group of Pharisees, or at least they were probably theologically closer to the Pharisees than any other group, but they tended to lean more toward the mystical side of religion. If you do a search in your online Bible, you’ll find that they’re not actually mentioned at all, and [...]

Who Were The Scribes? Pt 2

We’ve been learning about the different Jewish religious groups, so far the Pharisees and Sadducees and last time, the Scribes. We actually have a lot to be thankful for from this group because it was their meticulous attention to detail over the centuries, that has resulted in us having a really trustworthy record of Scripture. [...]

Who Were The Scribes? Pt 1

We’ve been learning about the different religious groups within Judaism in the days of Jesus, we’ve covered the Pharisees and Sadducees, probably the two most well-known, but another group often mentioned alongside them are the Scribes. Who were they and what did they do? First of all, there were two different groups within the scribal [...]

Who Were The Sadducees? Pt 2

Last program we learned that the Sadducees were possibly from the family line of Zadok the priest from the days of king David, and that this line came about because of the wickedness of the family line of Eli the High Priest who was from the line of Aaron. They were wealthy aristocrats, powerful socially [...]

Who Were The Sadducees? Pt 1

I think it’s easy for Christians to look at the divisions within Judaism in Bible days and scoff a little at them and how foolish they were, however, in Christendom, there are soooo many to choose from. There’s Roman Catholicism which has many different groups including the Franciscans, the Dominicans, the Benedictines, the Jesuits and [...]

Who Were The Pharisees? Pt 2

Last time we began learning about the Pharisees and how it’s believed their group came about after the return of the Jewish exiles from Babylon and Persia were found to be so far removed from God’s Law that serious changes had to be made to the social structure of the people, and a serious return [...]

Who Were The Pharisees? Pt 1

As soon as you begin reading the New Covenant, you’re introduced a group called the Pharisees, (Matt 3:7) among others. They’re not mentioned in the Old Covenant at all, surprisingly, but they’re important nonetheless. In fact there are several religious groups mentioned in the New Covenant and it’s good to know who they were, what [...]

Ready Or Not Pt 3

We don’t like to think of Jesus ever sanctioning violence, let alone participating in it, but what we have to really understand more clearly, is that God is perfect, His judgments and decisions are always right, true and necessary. God doesn’t enjoy violence, in fact there’s nowhere in Scripture that gives any indication of that, [...]

Ready Or Not Pt 2

Last time we ended by reading a passage from Isaiah 63, that described Mashiach in quite brutal fashion, in fact it describes Him coming from a battle where He slaughtered a lot of people and has their blood all over His clothing. He also described His behaviour as being the day of vengeance and the [...]

Ready Or Not Pt 1

We’re studying the life and all the expectations of Mashiach, the Jewish Messiah. We’ve spent weeks and weeks learning about Him and one of the striking things that most people are unaware of is that there are two distinct profiles of Mashiach in Scripture and they appear to describe two completely different people. One we [...]

Did He Really? Pt 5

We’ve spent the last 4 programs looking at the arguments against the resurrection of Jesus, coming at the issue from the point of disbelief and looking at the other possible outcomes. None of them stack up. We learned too that the resurrection is a non-negotiable essential truth that validates Christianity, and if there’s no resurrection, [...]

Did He Really? Pt 4

During our series on Mashiach, we’ve looked at all the criteria required to qualify to be Him. As Christians, we believe that Jesus is Mashiach – the Messiah prophesied from Genesis and right through to Malachi, but the final, essential and non-negotiable criteria for the Mashiach, is that He had to rise from the Dead. [...]

Did He Really? Pt 3

We’ve been involved in a long series on Mashiach – the Jewish Messiah. We’ve read many, many prophecies about Him, and we’ve examined the life of Jesus and discovered that He meets all the criteria. However, the most essential, non-negotiable criteria for being Mashiach, is rising from the dead. Last time we took the position [...]

Did He Really? Pt 2

The Apostle Paul said that if Jesus hadn’t been raised from the dead, that our faith was worthless, our sin remained unpaid for, our guilt was still upon us and we’re doomed. Not only that, he said that out of all the human race, we should be pitied the most because basically we’re delusional. The [...]

Did He Really? Pt 1

It’s been about 6 weeks approximately that we’ve been focusing on Mashiach – the Messiah that the Bible speaks so much about. We’ve learned that there have been dozens and dozens of different messiahs throughout history from many nations and belief systems, but the only one that actually stacks up is the Jewish Messiah. But [...]

The Resurrection Of Mashiach In Judaism Pt 2

Last time we began looking into ancient Judaism to see what the prevailing view of the resurrection was. Of course, just like Christianity that has lots of denominations, Judaism also had different branches with different theological viewpoints. For example, the branch of the Sadducees, which were very powerful in Jesus lifetime, didn’t believe in the [...]

The Resurrection Of Mashiach In Judaism Pt 1

While we’ve been focusing on learning all we can about Mashiach, the Jewish Messiah, we’ve seen how the rabbinical views about Messiah have changed over the centuries. We know that the predominant understanding of Messiah was that He’d come to suffer and atone for His people, but by the time Jesus arrived, that view had [...]

I Thought Mashiach Would Bring World Peace? Pt 2

Last time we looked at probably the main reason most rabbis reject Jesus as Mashiach, because they claim that Mashiach is supposed to usher in world peace when He arrives. Because Jesus came 2,000 years ago and there’s been war after war after war during that time, He couldn’t possibly be Mashiach. As I mentioned [...]

I Thought Mashiach Would Bring World Peace? Pt 1

For quite a few weeks now we’ve been focusing especially on the Jewish Messiah; Mashiach, who He would be, when He would come, what He would do, what He would achieve, how He would be treated and what His mission would be focused on. We’ve learned about the other Biblical characters, well at least three [...]

Moses or Jesus Pt 3

While we’ve been learning about Mashiach – the Jewish Messiah – we’ve learned about many aspects concerning His nature, character, behaviour, attitudes, His beginning, His end and who His life mirrors. In fact His life actually mirrors the lives of Joseph and David. If you study it, you also see that the entire book of [...]

Moses or Jesus Pt 2

So last time we began to learn about the person of Moses and how he had a remarkable relationship with God, to the point where God spoke with him face to face the way friends speak with each other. All Jews revere Moses, he did after all bring about the absolute deliverance of the Hebrews [...]

Moses or Jesus Pt 1

We’ve been learning about Mashiach, the Jewish Messiah, identifying the prophecies about Him, learning about His characteristics and works and weeding out any supposed messiahs and discarding them. We want to know who the Mashiach is, and be devoted to Him. Last time we learned about the parallels between Joseph and David and how they [...]

Joseph & David Parallel The Life Of Mashiach Pt 4

For a last several programs, we’ve focused on the parallel characteristics between Joseph and David, because previously, we learned that most rabbis believe that there are two Messiahs to come, or that one of two of these possible Messiahs will come. Either Mashiach ben Yosef – Messiah son of Joseph, the suffering Messiah. Or, Mashiach [...]

Joseph & David Parallel The Life Of Mashiach Pt 3

For the last couple of programs, we spent time looking at how the Old Covenant characters of Joseph and David parallel each other. What is it about these two men that make rabbis look at the possibility of two possible Messiahs? A Messiah like Joseph who suffered for his family or a Messiah like David, [...]

Joseph & David Parallel The Life Of Mashiach Pt 2

We began looking at the parallels between the lives of Joseph, the son of Jacob and David, king of Israel. The Jewish people, as we’ve already discussed, have identified two messiahs in the prophecies of the Bible. Mashiach ben Yosef, a suffering Messiah who is like Joseph, the son of Jacob. Or, the other possibility [...]

Joseph & David Parallel The Life Of Mashiach Pt 1

We’ve been focusing specifically on the life and person of Mashiach, the prophesied Messiah of the Jewish people for some time. We’ve looked at the prophecies themselves and the mathematical probabilities of one single individual fulfilling them all. We’ve looked at the fact that there have been so many self-proclaimed Messiahs throughout history that it [...]

Two Messiahs? Pt 3

Mashiach has been our topic for quite some time. The Bible has a lot to say about Him and in fact, He is the central figure of the entire Bible, followed second by the people of Israel, from whom Mashiach comes. He has what is the most important role in human history…to redeem fallen man. [...]

Two Messiahs? Pt 2

Last time, we began understanding how to the Jewish mind, there is a possibility of two Messiahs, and the reason they hold to this view is because when you look at all the prophecies about the coming Mashiach, you get two very distinct pictures. You see very clearly the picture of a suffering Messiah, who [...]

Two Messiahs? Pt 1

We’re in a series about Mashiach, the Jewish Messiah spoken of so much in the Bible, Christians believe Messiah to be none other than Yeshua – Jesus Christ. Jews cannot believe Him to be their Mashiach because they say He didn’t achieve what they believe Mashiach is supposed to achieve when He comes. The problem [...]

The Forbidden Chapter Pt 7

The Mashiach has been probably the most important personality in Judaism since it’s beginning. The Jewish people have been looking for, waiting for, and longing for Mashiach throughout their entire history, and with good reason. They’ve been a very persecuted people. While Christians believe Jesus is their Mashiach, they do not and its for that [...]

The Forbidden Chapter Pt 6

We’ve been in a series that’s been dedicated to learn about the characteristics, nature and identity of Mashiach, who He is, when He would come, why He would come and what He’d achieve. We’ve looked at a lot of information and we learned that there’s a particular chapter in the Bible that made life very [...]

The Forbidden Chapter Pt 5

We’re making our way through Isaiah 53 verse by verse to get a comparison of what this prophecy said would happen to Mashiach and what actually happened to Jesus. We’re up to verse 6. Isaiah 53:6, ‘All of us like sheep have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; but the [...]

The Forbidden Chapter Pt 4

This short series on the Forbidden Chapter, is based on an article and the research of Dr Eitan Bar, from One For Israel. We’ve been learning about how the rabbis going back many centuries removed the last three verses of Isaiah 52 and all of Isaiah 53 because the description of the Mashiach in them [...]

The Forbidden Chapter Pt 3

We’re investigating the details of the Mashiach, the Messiah, so that we can look at all the criteria, then examine those who’ve claimed to be the messiah to see if their claims match up with the prophesied criteria. For the last couple of programs we’ve been talking specifically about Isaiah 52, the last 3 verses [...]

The Forbidden Chapter Pt 2

We’re investigating the details of the Mashiach, the Messiah, that the Bible has provided so many details about, and when you consider all that was written about this individual, it makes your mind spin trying to consider that one individual would actually be able to meet all the criteria. We learned last time that the [...]

The Forbidden Chapter Pt 1

We’re in the middle of a series about the Mashiach – the Messiah of the world. We’ve been looking at the probability of one person fulfilling all the prophecies about His arrival, life and death. We’ve looked at the meaning of His name and the characteristics of His nature and behaviour as well as the [...]

Zechariah 12 Pt 2

We’re in a series with a quest, the goal of which is to correctly identify the Mashiach – the Messiah of the world. There have been many, many throughout history claiming that title and mandate and they’re from all different nations, different cultures and religious backgrounds. Some date back to antiquity and some are a [...]

Zechariah 12 Pt 1

We’re in a series at the moment about Mashiach, the Jewish Messiah. We’ve been investigating for a while now all the various prophesied characteristics and criteria of this individual to see if there’s any one specific person in human history who qualifies. So far, Jesus is the only one who fits the bill. One of [...]

The Feast of Shavuot (Weeks/Pentecost) Pt 2

We began learning about the feast of Shavuot, or the feast we call Pentecost. We learned in our last program that Shavuot takes place 50 days, or seven weeks from Passover and it’s a celebration of the giving of the Law. We learned that for this celebration an offering of two loaves of bread were [...]

The Feast of Shavuot (Weeks/Pentecost) Pt 1

Deuteronomy 23:15-17, 'You shall also count for yourselves from the day after the Sabbath, from the day when you brought in the sheaf of the wave offering; there shall be seven complete Sabbaths. You shall count fifty days to the day after the seventh Sabbath; then you shall present a new grain offering to the [...]

To Speak Or Not To Speak?

Have you ever heard the phrase, “Preach the Gospel and if necessary, use words?” That quote is often attributed to St Francis of Assisi, however that’s not what he said. In fact, out of all the writings of St Francis of Assisi, that quote in non-existent. The closest statement from him comes from his ‘Rule [...]

What Christianity and Judaism Are Supposed to be Built On Pt 2

In the last program, we started out saying that we’re going to learn what our faith is supposed to be built on. We started off by looking at the 2 different Diaspora’s that have taken place to the Jewish people; first there was the 70 year Babylonian Diaspora, and then there was the second Diaspora [...]

What Christianity and Judaism Are Supposed to be Built On Pt 1

Over the next couple of programs we’re going to look at what our faith is supposed to be built on. We’ve mentioned before the first Diaspora, which was when the Jews were taken into captivity to Babylon after the destruction of the first Temple. That Diaspora had a time limit to it. 70 years. (Jer [...]

Seasons Come and Seasons Go

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8, ‘There’s an appointed time for everything. And there’s a time for every event under heaven – a time to give birth and a time to die; a time to plant and a time to uproot what is planted. A time to kill and a time to heal; a time to tear down and [...]

Another Boring List Pt 2

Last time we looked at why the apparently boring genealogies and places that list names of people in the Bible are so important. We looked at the genealogies of Jesus in Matthew 1 and Luke 3 and how they were both accurate in spite of the fact they were different. One showed Jesus lineage through [...]

Another Boring List Pt 1

We know it’s important to read our Bibles as well as study them. Some passages are wonderful to read, some passages are confusing and some are really, really boring. Some of the most boring passages in both the Old and New Covenant Scriptures are the genealogies…the seemingly never-ending lists of names. So and so begat [...]

His Name

We spent the last couple of programs looking at the purpose of the supposedly boring lists of names, places, dates and so on in the Bible and discovered that while reading a list of names can be boring, they serve very important purposes that we can learn a lot from. We’ve also touched several times [...]

A New Definition of WEIRD Pt 3

1 Corinthians 1:20-29, ‘Where is the wise man? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom didn’t come to know God, God was well-pleased through the foolishness of the message [...]

Rain Pt 2

In our last program we began to learn about why the rain is so important in Israel, and that when Psalm 126:5-6 describes sowing in tears and reaping in joy, it’s really a lesson in trusting God for sustenance. In a desert region that has a seriously limited amount of rainfall, sowing your seed in [...]

A New Definition of WEIRD Pt 2

1 Corinthians 1:20-29, ‘Where is the wise man? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom didn’t come to know God, God was well-pleased through the foolishness of the message [...]

Rain Pt 1

The phrase, “Mashiv Ha’Ruach u’morid hagashem” is a praise included in the daily prayers of observant Jews, it’s a praise to God who controls both the wind and the rain, it’s a prayer that God will cause the wind to blow and the rain to fall and in particular, that it will fall after the [...]

Menorah Pt 2

We started to learn about the significance of the Menorah, the seven branched candlestick that God said had to be made as one of the items of furniture in the Tabernacle. We learned that God called His Jewish people to be a light to the nations and that Jesus called His followers to also be [...]

A New Definition of WEIRD Pt 1

1 Corinthians 1:20-29, ‘Where is the wise man? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom didn’t come to know God, God was well-pleased through the foolishness of the message [...]

Menorah Pt 1

Probably more than any other symbol, the Menorah is the most notable and the most obviously Jewish. The Star of David ranks right up there now, but for millennia, long before the Star of David was adopted, the Menorah was the primary symbol of the Jewish national people. There are others to be sure, symbols [...]

Stringing Pearls

Jesus taught from the Old Covenant Scriptures and He used techniques that were common practice by rabbis and teachers for hundreds of years. One of those techniques was called ‘Gezerah Shevah’ or ‘Comparison of Equals’ which basically means that a passage of Scripture can expand on another passage of Scripture if they share the same [...]

Such a Curse: A Messianic Look At Purim Pt 3

Adapted from an article by Mark Stover   In the last program we began looking at the celebration of Purim, it’s a celebration of God’s deliverance of His people when they lived in Ancient Persia, and wicked Haman hatched a plot to kill all the Jews, while planning a particularly nasty execution of Mordecai. In [...]

Such a Curse: A Messianic Look At Purim Pt 2

Adapted from an article by Mark Stover In our last program we learned a little about the reason behind the celebration of the feast of Purim. Purim means ‘lots’ as in casting lots to determine something. It’s really a pagan practice, a type of divination. A wicked man named Haman the Agagite, serving in the [...]

Messiah: Suffering Servant Or Victorious King? Pt 2

In our last program we began a discussion about how the Jewish view of Messiah is split into two categories, Mashiach ben Yosef – Messiah son of Joseph and Mashiach ben Da’vid – Messiah son of David. The common understanding among many religious Jews is that depending on how the Jewish people are conducting themselves [...]

Such a Curse: A Messianic Look At Purim Pt 1

Adapted from an article by Mark Stover Esther 2:8-10, 'It came about when the command and decree of the king were heard and many young ladies were gathered to the citadel of Susa into the custody of Hegai, that Esther was taken to the king's palace into the custody of Hegai, who was in charge [...]

Colouring Inside The Lines

Exodus 20:17, ‘You shall not covet your neighbours house; you shall not covet your neighbours wife or his male servant or his female servant or his ox or his donkey or anything that belongs to your neighbour.’ What is it about coveting that makes it so heinous? This answer from the Gospel Coalition explains the [...]

Original Sin…Christian or Jewish?

What is the doctrine of original sin? Basically, it’s the understanding that God created His human creations perfect and without sin. Then, Eve was tempted by Satan to eat the fruit from a particular tree that God had said was strictly forbidden and once she ate it, she encouraged her husband Adam to also eat [...]

Pardes: Jewish Exegesis Pt 4 ‘Sod’

We’ve spent that past three programs learning about the different levels of Jewish interpretation of the Bible. They’re incredibly fascinating and interesting, but the thing that comes through to me the most, is the absolute necessity and importance of maintaining and protecting the plain, obvious meaning of the text as it was originally written. All [...]

Pardes: Jewish Exegesis Pt 3 ‘Derash’

Over the past couple of programs we’ve learned about two different levels or methods of interpreting the Scripture according to the Jewish mindset and understanding. There are four levels of Jewish interpretation of the Bible and they are: Pardes is a Hebrew word that is really an acronym. P             - Peshat - this is the [...]

Pardes: Jewish Exegesis Pt 2 ‘Remez’

We began learning last time about the levels of Jewish interpretation of Scripture. There are four levels and each level has a name, they have collectively been given a name which is an acronym of the four. Pardes is a Hebrew word that is really an acronym. P             - Peshat - this is the plain, [...]

Pardes: Jewish Exegesis Pt 1 ‘Peshat’

Pardes is a Hebrew word that is really an acronym. P             - Peshat - this is the plain, literal or ‘simple’ meaning of the text R             - Remez - this is a ‘hint’ that there’s an allegorical or symbolic meaning of the text D             - Derash - this is to interpret or discover an ethical [...]

The Will Of God Pt 4 ‘Sovereign Will’

We’ve spent that last three programs looking are various aspects of the will of God, a very complex and multi-layered concept that is a little more understandable when you break it down. The four categories are: God’s ‘decretive’ will God’s ‘preceptive’ will God’s ‘permissive’ will God’s ‘sovereign’ will which is by far the most complex [...]

The Will Of God Pt 3 ‘Permissive Will’

In the last couple of programs we covered the subject of God’s will which for many believers is complex and hard to understand. We hear all that time that God has a plan for our lives and that this plan is His will for us, but what does that mean? Well, the will of God [...]

The Will Of God Pt 2 ‘Preceptive Will’

We’ve began learning about the will of God in our last program, discovering that there are different categories within the concept of God’s will. The four categories are: God’s ‘decretive’ will, which we looked at last time God’s ‘preceptive’ will God’s ‘permissive’ will God’s ‘sovereign’ will (which is almost the same as His decretive will [...]

The Will Of God Pt 1 ‘Decretive Will’

There are a lot of Christians who want to know what the will of God is for their lives, the problem is that they don’t really know or understand what the will of God is. In fact you can segment the will of God into four categories and these help us get a better handle [...]

Comparison Of Priesthoods Pt 2

Last time we looked at the character traits of Melchizedek, priest and king before the One True God. His name means ‘Prince of Righteousness’ and he was king in the city of Salem, which means ‘City or abode of Peace’, which eventually become Jerusalem ‘Yeru-salem’. It also means that it’s the place where peace will [...]

Comparison Of Priesthoods Pt 1

We’re going to spend a couple of programs looking at the role of the priesthood, in particular the person of Melchizedek and how he compares to Jesus and then we’ll compare the priesthood of Melchizedek and Aaron and learn why they were so important. First of all, who was Melchizedek? In truth, there’s no way [...]

Sin vs Sin Pt 2

In the last program we looked at the fact that usually when we think of sin, we think of a bad action, which is correct, but it’s only half correct because the action comes about because of the condition of the sinful nature of man and we get to thank our first parents, Adam and [...]

Sin vs Sin Pt 1

During a friendly “spiritual conversation” one believer said to another believer, “I believe we can get to a place where we no longer sin.” For many Christians today we think of sin as being a bad or wrongful action or behaviour which is true but only partially true. The concept of ‘sin’ is much more [...]

One Plan Of Redemption Or Two?

Sin first entered into the world in Eden when Adam and Eve sinned by eating fruit the Lord said was forbidden. That was the first time in human history that man rebelled against God. However, this particular sin infected our first parents and sin was then passed on to every other human being. Sin is [...]

Is Blood Necessary For Atonement Of Sins?

The Torah, which is the first five books of the Bible written by Moses, has a reoccurring theme of the blood which is so strong, so central, and so important that not possible to separate it from the reoccurring theme of sacrifice and atonement for sins, because they are in fact, interrelated themes. They’re inseparable. [...]

Faith & Works: Two Halves Of The Same Whole

There has been a raging debate over the past 2000 years about works vs faith. To the Jewish mind, the relationship between faith in God cannot be separated from the works done in His name according to His commandments, but they go to the extreme believing that the actions or works they do are what [...]

Praying Like Daniel

Daniel 9:1-3, ‘In the first year of Darius the son of Ahasuerus, of Median descent, who was made king over the kingdom of the Chaldeans, in the first year of his reign, I, Daniel, observed in the books the number of years which was revealed as the word of the Lord to Jeremiah the prophet [...]

Two Is Definitely Better Than One

There are a few Hebrew words or phrases that a lot of people know and use, but aren’t aware are Hebrew. For example, most people around the world know the word ‘hallelujah’ but most have no idea that it’s a Hebrew word. How about the going on a sabbatical? We might know that the Sabbath [...]

Is God Good? Pt 2

It’s disconcerting and troubling to realise that there are whole denominations and Christian seminaries around the world that deny the foundational teachings in the Bible and many more people who deny the goodness of God because He gave commands to His people to do things that are not very pleasant, such as commanding that entire [...]

Is God Good? Pt 1

There is a growing number of church denominations around the world who have changed their official policies with regard to all manner of moral and spiritual issues be they political, moral or spiritual. For example, the view of marriage between one man and one woman to the exclusion of all others is now no longer [...]

The Sabbath Pt 4

We’ve discovered that there are there are three main rituals for observing the Sabbath and they are: Lighting the Sabbath candles – fulfilled by Jesus as the Light of the world. Saying ‘kiddush’ over the wine – fulfilled by Jesus through His shed blood. Reciting HaMotzi over the bread (khallah) – fulfilled by Jesus as [...]

The Sabbath Pt 3

So far we’ve learned that the celebrations that take place in Jewish homes every week for celebration of the Sabbath are in fact a celebration of the Messiah, this is obvious in Jewish homes that know and love Jesus, even though it’s not realised in Jewish homes that don’t believe in Jesus. We’ve learned that [...]

The Sabbath Pt 2

Last time we began looking at the purpose of the Sabbath, that God wanted this day to be holy and set aside as a day of rest for His people and to devote themselves to Him, and that He would made such joy and delight envelop them that they’d even ride on the heights of [...]

The Sabbath Pt 1

Last time we learned what the word blessing means, and basically it means to kneel or submit to what God wants you to do and God’s empowering or equipping of you to do it. In this program, we’re going to look at some beautiful blessings said by Jewish people all over the world every single [...]

Blessing…What Is It?

The word ‘bless’, ‘blessed’, ‘blessing’ is part of the everyday language of the Christian. It’s also a foundational element in Judaism and this word is used throughout the Bible as well. We usually see ‘blessing’ as physical or spiritual prosperity and health for the most part, we associate blessing with a nice experience. We use [...]

God & Man: Book of Ruth Pt 5

Okay, we’ve looked closely at the relationship between God and Israel as being that of husband and wife…not romantically of course…but in essence. We’ve also learned about the relationship between Jesus and the church as also being that of a marriage relationship, Jesus being the Bridegroom and the church His future bride. We learned the [...]

God & Man: Book of Ruth Pt 4

We won’t go over the entire story in detail, but basically the book of Ruth recounts the history of a family. Naomi, her husband and two sons, travel to the land of Moab during a time a great distress and drought in Israel. While there, her sons marry Moabite women but her husband and sons [...]

God & Man: Book of Ruth Pt 3

We’ve been recounting the historical story of the book of Ruth, getting to know the characters and what they went through and how this story is really a story of redemption. Last time we finished by learning that God allotted a section of land, the land of Canaan, for His people Israel. That land was [...]

God & Man: Book of Ruth Pt 2

We began in our last program by reiterating the fact that God has always presented Himself as a husband to His people Israel, whom He describes as His wife, and that His Son, Jesus, is described as the Bridegroom who is betrothed or engaged or promised through covenant to His bride the church. God has [...]

God & Man: Book of Ruth Pt 1

Over previous programs we’ve been looking at God’s relationship with man, in particular God’s relationship with Israel and Christ’s relationship with the church and we’ve seen in both instances that God describes these relationships as that of marriage. Now it needs to be pointed out that these relationships are NOT romantic in any way shape [...]

God & Man: The Ancient Jewish Wedding Pt 7

We’ve been learning about the Ancient Jewish Wedding, the various elements that made up this tradition and how each element was fulfilled by Jesus our Messiah. As mentioned before, the three main characters in this tradition were; The Father:         This is reflected in God the Father The Groom:        This is reflected in the person [...]

God & Man: The Ancient Jewish Wedding Pt 2

In the last program we began to look at the different elements that were part of the tradition of the Ancient Jewish Wedding. All this is in the context of God’s relationship with man, God’s intimate relationship with Israel and now, Jesus’ relationship with the church. The three main players in this tradition were the [...]

God & Man: The Ancient Jewish Wedding Pt 1

We’ve spent some time learning about God’s relationship with Israel and how God Himself describes that relationship as that of a husband and his wife. We also know that everything in the Bible is significant and even if we can’t initially see it, it has prophetic significance. There is also a great deal of rich [...]

Power of Persistent Prayer

How often do we take prayer as a matter of urgency? And what do you do when you have knocked the door a few times but not have any answers? For Anne from Moree, NSW, praying for her sister was a matter of life and death.

Simchat Torah

I read a really easy to understand history of Simchat Torah from an article written by Rabbi Shlomo Brody which I’ll provide the link for at the end of the notes if you’re interested in reading it. Simchat Torah means ‘rejoicing in the Torah.’ The Torah scrolls are treated with incredible reverence and are protected [...]

Messiah: Suffering Servant Or Victorious King? Pt 1

We mentioned in a previous program while discussing the identity of the person mentioned in Isaiah 53 that rabbis and religious Jewish leaders for most of the past 2000 years have denied that the identity is that of the Messiah, and that rather it’s talking about the Jewish people as an ethnic collective. We know [...]

Overview of the Feasts of the Lord

Over the course of the year, there are seven mandatory feasts of the Lord, there are more remembrances, feasts, festivals and anniversaries in the Hebrew calendar, but there are seven specific feasts of the Lord that God Himself commanded His people remember and celebrate every year at specific times. We’ve looked at all seven so [...]

Sukkot Pt 2 Feast of Tabernacles

We began learning about Sukkot last time on Foundations. Sukkot is the last or final feasts that the Lord deemed to be mandatory, annual celebrations. It’s also known as the Feast of Tabernacles or Feast of Booths. It’s also an agricultural celebration, a time of thanksgiving to God for His constant provision and care for [...]

Rejoice! As We Tabernacle with God.

Rejoice! That’s the biblical commandment for Sukkot or the Feast of Tabernacles. But how do you rejoice through hardships, even in a concentration camp in the past, or in today’s COVID?

Sukkot Pt 1 Feast of Tabernacles

There are quite a lot of celebrations and anniversaries and feasts in the Jewish calendar but Sukkot (Su-coat) is the last of the mandatory feasts of the Lord commanded by God in the Bible; it’s the last of the Autumn feasts in the Jewish calendar and it’s also known as the Feast of Tabernacles or [...]

Yom Kippur Pt 3 Day of Atonement

In the last couple of program’s we looked at the annual sacred event in the Hebrew Calendar, Yom Kippur – the Day of Atonement and learned that this celebration actually begins a countdown called the Days of Awe, they begin with Rosh Ha’shana, the Jewish New Year, and Yom Kippur is about preparing the heart [...]

Yom Kippur Pt 2 Day of Atonement

Last time we learned where the name Yom Kippur came from and how it’s derived from the holiday of Purim because in the same way Esther put her own life on the line so that her people would be saved from annihilation, the Day of Atonement was about repentance and a substitutionary sacrifice to save [...]

Yom Kippur Pt 1 Day of Atonement

Yom Kippur is the holiest and most solemn day in the Hebrew calendar and it was instituted by God in Leviticus 23:27-28, there are 7 Feasts of the Lord and Yom Kippur is number 6. All the Feasts of the Lord represent in various ways God’s plan of redemption and they reflect how Jesus the [...]

Abraham: Friend Of God

We’ve talked in previous programs about the fact that we’re bond-slaves to Christ. This is absolutely true. But just like the many and varied names of God reveal different characteristics to God’s nature and personality, we can be children, slaves and friends of God all at the same time because our relationship with Him is [...]

What Does The Word ‘Hebrew’ Mean?

Abram was called “Abraham the Hebrew” in Genesis 14:13, which is the first time that the word is used in the Bible. Where did this term come from, and what does it mean? The word “Hebrew” in the Hebrew language is עברי (Ivrie). The root letters that are used mean cross over, or pass through. [...]

Isaiah 53: About Messiah or The People of Israel? Pt 2

In our last program we learned that historically, Jewish rabbis and sages, or Jewish religious authorities always believed that the identity of the Servant mentioned in Isaiah 53 was that of their future Messiah. However, in later centuries, in a bid to combat the ever-growing belief or teaching in Christianity that the Messiah was identified [...]

Isaiah 53: About Messiah or The People of Israel? Pt 1

Without a doubt, Isaiah 53 is one of the most significant chapters in the Old Covenant regarding the Messiah. It’s also one of the most troubling chapters for the rabbis, because it prophesies very clearly that the Messiah will be rejected by His own people, will suffer, and will die for the sins of humanity. [...]

Rosh Hashana The Feast of Trumpets – The Jewish New Year Pt 3

So far over the past couple of programs we’ve learned that the fifth mandatory feast of the Lord is Rosh Hashana, the Jewish New Year, or the Head of the year to be more precise, because there are actually four different new year’s within the Hebrew calendar. Rosh Hashana is also known as the Feast [...]

Rosh Hashana The Feast of Trumpets – The Jewish New Year Pt 2

When we began learning about Rosh Hashana last time, we learned that Rosh Hashana is the Jewish New Year, but because the Hebrew Calendar has four new years within it, Rosh Hashana is known as the head of the year. It’s also known as the Feast of Trumpets and it’s one of seven mandatory feasts [...]

Rosh Hashana The Feast of Trumpets – The Jewish New Year Pt 1

Rosh Hashana is the Jewish New Year. There are seven mandatory feasts of the Lord and Rosh Hashana is the fifth. The Hebrew calendar has several ‘new years’ in it, which can be very confusing until you get your head around them. The beginning of the religious year starts in the Spring time with Pesach [...]

Doors & Ear Piercings Pt 3

Over the last couple of programs we’ve looked a little more closely at what it meant to be a slave, or more specifically a bond-slave in ancient Israel and the process that took place when a slave decided that he didn’t want to leave his master after six years of service, but wanted to rather [...]

Doors & Ear Piercings Pt 2

Last time we began looking at what slavery looked like in ancient Israel and how it was completely different to slavery in the rest of the world. Slavery was a fact of life in that time, sadly it still is today, however God’s view of slavery doesn’t look anything like the world’s standard of slavery. [...]

Doors & Ear Piercings Pt 1

When we learned about the names of God, one of the names we learned about was the name Adonai, which means Lord, Master and even Owner and we tackled the uncomfortable truth that if we who know, love and worship God - Adonai, then we belong to Him, He owns us and we are His [...]

How Can God Forget Our Sins? Pt 1

Nothing is impossible for God right? Then how is it possible for God to forget our sins after He's forgiven them? It's sounds like a complete contradiction? Isaiah 43:25, "I, even I, am the one who wipes out your transgressions for My own sake, and I will not remember your sins." This is a remarkable [...]

The Untranslatable Word That Has Huge Meaning Pt 2

We started to look at the untranslatable word that is found in the Hebrew Bible but not in the English or other language translations. It’s a tiny little two letter word, את – ‘et’ which basically is referring to the alphabet, the ‘A to the Z’ is how we would likely express it. So before [...]

The Untranslatable Word That Has Huge Meaning Pt 1

Have you ever wondered where the alphabet comes from? The first two letters of the Hebrew alphabet are “aleph” and “bet”. But it is the first letter and the last letter that are used to denote the alphabet in shorthand… as we might write “ABC” for our alphabet, in Hebrew, “את” can be used: the [...]

Cracked Pots Pt 2

Human beings tend to look at themselves as having it all together, we’re in control of our destinies and we think we’re smart, intelligent and superior in all things. However, you don’t have to look at our societies too long or too hard to see that we’re actually none of those things. If we were, [...]

Cracked Pots Pt 1

Genesis 1:27, 'God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.' Genesis 2:7, 'Then the Lord God formed man of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.' These 2 verses in [...]

The Confusing Things Jesus Said Pt 2

We started out on our previous program by looking at the confusing words of Jesus in Matthew 18:8-9 where He said that if your hand, foot or eye causes you to sin, you should cut them off or pluck it out because it would be better to enter eternal life with some body parts missing [...]

The Confusing Things Jesus Said Pt 1

Matthew 18:8-9, Jesus said, "If your hand or your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it from you; it's better for you to enter life crippled or lame, than to have two hands or two feet and be cast into the eternal fire. If your eye causes you to stumble, pluck [...]

Orphans Pt 2

In our last program we began looking at the issue of orphans and how God laid out very clearly in His Word that He expected His people to be compassionate and caring toward orphans. This is very important to understand because it demonstrates very clearly how God views all men who are estranged from Him. [...]

Orphans Pt 1

James 1:26-27, "If anyone thinks himself to be religious, and yet does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this man's religion is worthless. Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the [...]

Corban Pt 2

We spent some time in our last program looking at the subject of corban. Making a sacred vow rashly, or making a vow that is actually contradictory to God’s Law and whether or not the maker of the vow is obligated to keep it. We looked at the rash vow made by Jephthah who sacrificed [...]

Corban Pt 1

You may or may not be a fan of the sitcom 'Seinfeld', I personally have never been a fan of the supposed 'funniest show on television' didn't ever make me laugh but I heard about an episode where Jerry and his friends discovered a great soup restaurant that was owned by a really short-tempered man. [...]

Being Sheep Pt 2

We began in our previous program by reading Psalm 100 and how God describes His people as being the sheep of His pasture. For most of us, being described as a farm animal isn’t so fantastic at first hearing, but when you begin to see what the relationship is between the Good Shepherd and His [...]

Being Sheep Pt 1

Psalm 100, 'Shout joyfully to the Lord, all the earth. Serve the Lord with gladness; come before Him with joyful singing. Know that the Lord Himself is God; it’s He who’s made us, and not we ourselves; we are His people and the sheep of His pasture. Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts [...]

Knowing Our King. Approaching Our King. Pt 2

We finished off in our previous program by looking at the authority of monarchs and their absolute rule over their subjects and that they gained their sovereignty from God. Therefore, they stood as a representative of God to rule over the people. We can understand that and we have examples in our own human history [...]

Walking In The Dust Of Our Rabbi Pt 2

We began in our previous program to look at what it means to walk in the dust of our Rabbi, we learned a little bit about how without the understand of the Jewish cultural context of Jesus day or the setting that the Bible was written in, we can easily put our own spin on [...]

What Does ‘Christ’ Actually Mean? Pt 2

We began in our previous program to learn about what the word ‘Christ’ means, most of us know that it means ‘anointed’ but we also discovered that in the overwhelming majority of places in the Old Covenant, the word was used in conjunction with the anointing of a king. So the word Christ is referring [...]

What Does ‘Christ’ Actually Mean? Pt 1

When we use the name Jesus Christ we know exactly who we're referring to; we're referring to the Son of God whose life and exploits are detailed in the Gospel accounts of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, but there are many people who don't actually know what the word Christ means. Many Christians have grown [...]

Our Undefinable God Pt 2

We began looking at how our God is undefinable and how the pagan gods are not only many, but have always been defined by their names. They were a product of human need, the need to have a god for any and every situation in life. If a soldier went to war, he’d worship a [...]

Our Undefinable God Pt 1

Psalm 145:3 'Great is the Lord and highly to be praised, and His greatness is unsearchable.' We’ve regularly looked at the differing views and outlooks of both the Jewish/Eastern mindset and the Greek/Western mindset and how the positional outcomes can and often are poles apart. In our modern setting we could change the 'Greek' view [...]

The Time Of Messiah’s Coming Pt 2

In our previous program we looked at a couple of prophecies about the Messiah, prophecies that not everyone realises are Messianic prophecies. Jewish Bible teachers, Rabbis and students have long known them to be about the Messiah but not necessarily the Christian world. We looked at the prophecy about the Messiah being born of a [...]

The Time Of Messiah’s Coming Pt 1

One of the most exciting and anticipated future events on both the Jewish and Christian calendars is the return of the Messiah. Jewish people are expecting Him for the first time, Christians are expecting Him for the second time. God imposed a very harsh discipline on His people for not recognising Him the first time [...]

Terrorism Vs Torah Pt 2

In the previous program we stated looking at what the Bible says about violence against the innocent and the value of human life. Terrorism has become a mainstay in the media and news reporting and because so many people don’t understand the Bible or the ancient cultures of that time, they tend to believe that [...]

Terrorism Vs Torah Pt 1

Psalm 11:4-5, 'The Lord is in His holy temple; the Lord's throne is in heaven; His eyes behold, His eyelids test the sons of men. The Lord tests the righteous and the wicked, and the one who loves violence His soul hates.' Proverbs 3:31-32, 'Don’t envy a man of violence and don’t choose any of [...]

The Skeleton In Moses’ Closet

Do you know what Moses mother and father’s name were? Most people have no clue, and most people are also unaware that there’s a bit of scandal associated with them, today we’d say they have a skeleton in their closet. But, the good news of Moses is that skeletons in our family closet and questionable [...]

What’s So Wrong with Mixing Wool & Linen?

In previous programs we learned about the significance of the Tzit-Tzit or tassels that God commanded His people attach to the four corners of their clothes and that they were representative of several things... They essentially set the entire nation of Israel apart as a distinct people among the nations because they were a depiction [...]

Letting Our Tassels Show Pt 3

In our last couple of programs we’ve learned why the Jews wear the tassels or tzitzit on the corners of their clothing, why they have to be visible and what the tzitzit represents; authority, royalty, nobility as well as the spiritual perspective of the priesthood. The Jews received the commission of being a light to [...]

Letting Our Tassels Show Pt 2

We learned in our previous program that the tassels worn by Jewish people for the past 4,000 years is because God commanded them to do so. They were to be visible and they were to serve as a reminder to them to always be aware of and obedient to His Word. The tzitzit themselves were [...]

Hanukkah Feast of Dedication / Festival of Lights Pt 3

We’ve spent the last couple of programs learning about Hanukkah, also known as the Feast of Dedication and the Festival of Lights. It’s a celebration mentioned in John 10. We learned that after the Jews returned to Israel after the Babylonian exile, that the temple was rebuilt in a humble fashion, but later on it [...]

Hanukkah Feast of Dedication / Festival of Lights Pt 2

In our last program we began learning about Hanukkah, also known as the Feast of Dedication and the Festival of Lights. This annual celebration is mentioned in the New Covenant, in John 10, it took place in the winter time and while Hanukkah isn’t one of the 7 mandatory Feasts of the Lord, it is [...]

Hanukkah Feast of Dedication / Festival of Lights Pt 1

Each year, approximately around the time we prepare to celebrate Christmas, our Jewish friends celebrate Hanukkah and it lasts for 8 days. Hanukkah isn't one of the mandatory 'Feasts of the Lord' of which there are seven; Feast of Passover “Pesach” Feast of Unleavened Bread “Matzot” Feast of First Fruits “Bikkurim” Feast of Weeks “Shavuot” (Pentecost) [...]

Christmas Pt 7 – Is It Possible That?

We’ve taken the best part of a week to look at all the characters who played a crucial role in the nativity account. There are two pivotal events in history that the human race revolves around…the birth of our Messiah and the death and resurrection of our Messiah. His purpose was to come and live [...]

Christmas Pt 6 – Mary & Joseph?

Mary Who was the young woman chosen by God Himself to bear His only begotten Son? Mary said of herself that all generations would regard her as blessed, not because she was perfect, she even admitted that God was her Saviour, rather, she’d be considered blessed because of the privilege she was given to bear [...]

Christmas Pt 5 – The Shepherds?

We’ve been taking our time looking at the various characters in the Nativity story; we’ve learned about who the Magi were, where they came from and why they were so interested in the birth of Jesus. We’ve learned about King Herod’s role and what this event may have meant to both him and the Romans [...]

Christmas Pt 4 – The Jewish Priesthood?

We’ve been learning about the various characters involved in the story of the first Christmas. We’ve learned about the Magi, who they were and where they came from. We learned about how they were learned in all areas of their domain from commerce, government and national laws, to experts on religion, societal traditions and also [...]

Christmas Pt 3 – King Herod & The Romans

We’ve begun to look at the various characters in the Christmas story and so far we’ve looked at who the Magi/Wise Men were. We’ve also looked at the astronomical aspect of the Nativity account – the ‘star’ that motivated the Magi to make the long trek across the desert from Persia to Judea to worship [...]

Christmas Pt 2 – What On Earth Is The Mazzaroth?

The differences between the Hebrew Mazzeroth and the Zodiac are vast and cannot be properly explained within the limits of this basic overview but I will attempt to cover the essentials. Zodiac: ‘An imaginary belt extending 8° either side of the ecliptic, which contains the 12 zodiacal constellations and within which the moon and planets [...]

Christmas Pt 1 – Who Were The Magi?

Matthew 2:1-3, ‘Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, Magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him.” When Herod the king [...]

Simchat Torah

I read a really easy to understand history of Simchat Torah from an article written by Rabbi Shlomo Brody which I’ll provide the link for at the end of the notes if you’re interested in reading it. Simchat Torah means ‘rejoicing in the Torah.’ The Torah scrolls are treated with incredible reverence and are protected [...]

Overview of the Feasts of the Lord

Over the course of the year, there are seven mandatory feasts of the Lord, there are more remembrances, feasts, festivals and anniversaries in the Hebrew calendar, but there are seven specific feasts of the Lord that God Himself commanded His people remember and celebrate every year at specific times. We’ve looked at all seven so [...]

Sukkot Pt 2 Feast of Tabernacles

We began learning about Sukkot last time on Foundations. Sukkot is the last or final feasts that the Lord deemed to be mandatory, annual celebrations. It’s also known as the Feast of Tabernacles or Feast of Booths. It’s also an agricultural celebration, a time of thanksgiving to God for His constant provision and care for [...]

Sukkot Pt 1 Feast of Tabernacles

There are quite a lot of celebrations and anniversaries and feasts in the Jewish calendar but Sukkot (Su-coat) is the last of the mandatory feasts of the Lord commanded by God in the Bible; it’s the last of the Autumn feasts in the Jewish calendar and it’s also known as the Feast of Tabernacles or [...]

Yom Kippur Pt 3 Day of Atonement

In the last couple of program’s we looked at the annual sacred event in the Hebrew Calendar, Yom Kippur – the Day of Atonement and learned that this celebration actually begins a countdown called the Days of Awe, they begin with Rosh Ha’shana, the Jewish New Year, and Yom Kippur is about preparing the heart [...]

Yom Kippur Pt 2 Day of Atonement

Last time we learned where the name Yom Kippur came from and how it’s derived from the holiday of Purim because in the same way Esther put her own life on the line so that her people would be saved from annihilation, the Day of Atonement was about repentance and a substitutionary sacrifice to save [...]

Yom Kippur Pt 1 Day of Atonement

Yom Kippur is the holiest and most solemn day in the Hebrew calendar and it was instituted by God in Leviticus 23:27-28, there are 7 Feasts of the Lord and Yom Kippur is number 6. All the Feasts of the Lord represent in various ways God’s plan of redemption and they reflect how Jesus the [...]

Rosh Hashana The Feast of Trumpets – The Jewish New Year Pt 3

So far over the past couple of programs we’ve learned that the fifth mandatory feast of the Lord is Rosh Hashana, the Jewish New Year, or the Head of the year to be more precise, because there are actually four different new year’s within the Hebrew calendar. Rosh Hashana is also known as the Feast [...]

Rosh Hashana The Feast of Trumpets – The Jewish New Year Pt 2

When we began learning about Rosh Hashana last time, we learned that Rosh Hashana is the Jewish New Year, but because the Hebrew Calendar has four new years within it, Rosh Hashana is known as the head of the year. It’s also known as the Feast of Trumpets and it’s one of seven mandatory feasts [...]

Rosh Hashana The Feast of Trumpets – The Jewish New Year Pt 1

Rosh Hashana is the Jewish New Year. There are seven mandatory feasts of the Lord and Rosh Hashana is the fifth. The Hebrew calendar has several ‘new years’ in it, which can be very confusing until you get your head around them. The beginning of the religious year starts in the Spring time with Pesach [...]

Tisha B’av – 9th Of Av

Tisha B’av is a day of sadness in the Jewish calendar for Jews all around the world. It’s a date of several anniversaries marking events that were catastrophes for the Jews. This date reminds them of oppression and violence that caused enormous suffering for them as a people. While celebrating is not really the right [...]

The Real Treasure Chest

How many arks are in the Bible? First up we can think of 2; there’s Noah’s Ark first mentioned in Genesis 6. This ark was built by Noah at God’s command and it was built for the purpose of saving both the human race and the animal kingdom from annihilation when God flooded the earth [...]

What Christianity and Judaism Are Supposed to be Built On Pt 2

In the last program, we started out saying that we’re going to learn what our faith is supposed to be built on. We started off by looking at the 2 different Diaspora’s that have taken place to the Jewish people; first there was the 70 year Babylonian Diaspora, and then there was the second Diaspora [...]

What Christianity and Judaism Are Supposed to be Built On Pt 1

Over the next couple of programs we’re going to look at what our faith is supposed to be built on. We’ve mentioned before the first Diaspora, which was when the Jews were taken into captivity to Babylon after the destruction of the first Temple. That Diaspora had a time limit to it. 70 years. (Jer [...]

Seasons Come and Seasons Go

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8, ‘There’s an appointed time for everything. And there’s a time for every event under heaven – a time to give birth and a time to die; a time to plant and a time to uproot what is planted. A time to kill and a time to heal; a time to tear down and [...]

His Name

We spent the last couple of programs looking at the purpose of the supposedly boring lists of names, places, dates and so on in the Bible and discovered that while reading a list of names can be boring, they serve very important purposes that we can learn a lot from. We’ve also touched several times [...]

Another Boring List Pt 1

We know it’s important to read our Bibles as well as study them. Some passages are wonderful to read, some passages are confusing and some are really, really boring. Some of the most boring passages in both the Old and New Covenant Scriptures are the genealogies…the seemingly never-ending lists of names. So and so begat [...]

Sin vs Sin Pt 2

In the last program we looked at the fact that usually when we think of sin, we think of a bad action, which is correct, but it’s only half correct because the action comes about because of the condition of the sinful nature of man and we get to thank our first parents, Adam and [...]

Sin vs Sin Pt 1

During a friendly “spiritual conversation” one believer said to another believer, “I believe we can get to a place where we no longer sin.” For many Christians today we think of sin as being a bad or wrongful action or behaviour which is true but only partially true. The concept of ‘sin’ is much more [...]

One Plan Of Redemption Or Two?

Sin first entered into the world in Eden when Adam and Eve sinned by eating fruit the Lord said was forbidden. That was the first time in human history that man rebelled against God. However, this particular sin infected our first parents and sin was then passed on to every other human being. Sin is [...]

Is Blood Necessary For Atonement Of Sins?

The Torah, which is the first five books of the Bible written by Moses, has a reoccurring theme of the blood which is so strong, so central, and so important that not possible to separate it from the reoccurring theme of sacrifice and atonement for sins, because they are in fact, interrelated themes. They’re inseparable. [...]

Faith & Works: Two Halves Of The Same Whole

There has been a raging debate over the past 2000 years about works vs faith. To the Jewish mind, the relationship between faith in God cannot be separated from the works done in His name according to His commandments, but they go to the extreme believing that the actions or works they do are what [...]

Praying Like Daniel

Daniel 9:1-3, ‘In the first year of Darius the son of Ahasuerus, of Median descent, who was made king over the kingdom of the Chaldeans, in the first year of his reign, I, Daniel, observed in the books the number of years which was revealed as the word of the Lord to Jeremiah the prophet [...]

Two Is Definitely Better Than One

There are a few Hebrew words or phrases that a lot of people know and use, but aren’t aware are Hebrew. For example, most people around the world know the word ‘hallelujah’ but most have no idea that it’s a Hebrew word. How about the going on a sabbatical? We might know that the Sabbath [...]

Is God Good? Pt 2

It’s disconcerting and troubling to realise that there are whole denominations and Christian seminaries around the world that deny the foundational teachings in the Bible and many more people who deny the goodness of God because He gave commands to His people to do things that are not very pleasant, such as commanding that entire [...]

Is God Good? Pt 1

There is a growing number of church denominations around the world who have changed their official policies with regard to all manner of moral and spiritual issues be they political, moral or spiritual. For example, the view of marriage between one man and one woman to the exclusion of all others is now no longer [...]

The Sabbath Pt 4

We’ve discovered that there are there are three main rituals for observing the Sabbath and they are: Lighting the Sabbath candles – fulfilled by Jesus as the Light of the world. Saying ‘kiddush’ over the wine – fulfilled by Jesus through His shed blood. Reciting HaMotzi over the bread (khallah) – fulfilled by Jesus as [...]

The Sabbath Pt 3

So far we’ve learned that the celebrations that take place in Jewish homes every week for celebration of the Sabbath are in fact a celebration of the Messiah, this is obvious in Jewish homes that know and love Jesus, even though it’s not realised in Jewish homes that don’t believe in Jesus. We’ve learned that [...]

The Sabbath Pt 2

Last time we began looking at the purpose of the Sabbath, that God wanted this day to be holy and set aside as a day of rest for His people and to devote themselves to Him, and that He would made such joy and delight envelop them that they’d even ride on the heights of [...]

The Sabbath Pt 1

Last time we learned what the word blessing means, and basically it means to kneel or submit to what God wants you to do and God’s empowering or equipping of you to do it. In this program, we’re going to look at some beautiful blessings said by Jewish people all over the world every single [...]

God & Man: Book of Ruth Pt 12

Okay, we’ve looked closely at the relationship between God and Israel as being that of husband and wife…not romantically of course…but in essence. We’ve also learned about the relationship between Jesus and the church as also being that of a marriage relationship, Jesus being the Bridegroom and the church His future bride. We learned the [...]

God & Man: Book of Ruth Pt 11

We won’t go over the entire story in detail, but basically the book of Ruth recounts the history of a family. Naomi, her husband and two sons, travel to the land of Moab during a time a great distress and drought in Israel. While there, her sons marry Moabite women but her husband and sons [...]

God & Man: Book of Ruth Pt 10

We’ve been recounting the historical story of the book of Ruth, getting to know the characters and what they went through and how this story is really a story of redemption. Last time we finished by learning that God allotted a section of land, the land of Canaan, for His people Israel. That land was [...]

God & Man: Book of Ruth Pt 9

We began in our last program by reiterating the fact that God has always presented Himself as a husband to His people Israel, whom He describes as His wife, and that His Son, Jesus, is described as the Bridegroom who is betrothed or engaged or promised through covenant to His bride the church. God has [...]

God & Man: Book of Ruth Pt 8

Over previous programs we’ve been looking at God’s relationship with man, in particular God’s relationship with Israel and Christ’s relationship with the church and we’ve seen in both instances that God describes these relationships as that of marriage. Now it needs to be pointed out that these relationships are NOT romantic in any way shape [...]

God & Man: The Ancient Jewish Wedding Pt 7

We’ve been learning about the Ancient Jewish Wedding, the various elements that made up this tradition and how each element was fulfilled by Jesus our Messiah. As mentioned before, the three main characters in this tradition were; The Father:         This is reflected in God the Father The Groom:        This is reflected in the person [...]

The Feast of Shavuot (Weeks/Pentecost) Pt 2

We began learning about the feast of Shavuot, or the feast we call Pentecost. We learned in our last program that Shavuot takes place 50 days, or seven weeks from Passover and it’s a celebration of the giving of the Law. We learned that for this celebration an offering of two loaves of bread were [...]

The Feast of Shavuot (Weeks/Pentecost) Pt 1

Deuteronomy 23:15-17, 'You shall also count for yourselves from the day after the Sabbath, from the day when you brought in the sheaf of the wave offering; there shall be seven complete Sabbaths. You shall count fifty days to the day after the seventh Sabbath; then you shall present a new grain offering to the [...]

The Feast of First Fruits

Leviticus 23:9-14, 'Then the Lord spoke to Moses saying, "Speak to the sons of Israel and say to them, 'When you enter the land which I am going to give to you and reap its harvest, then you shall bring in the sheaf of the first fruits of your harvest to the priest. He shall [...]

The Feast of Unleavened Bread Passover Pt 7

Leviticus 23:5-8, 'In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month at twilight is the Lord's Passover. Then on the fifteenth day of the same month there is the Feast of Unleavened Bread to the Lord; for seven days you shall eat unleavened bread. On the first day you shall have a holy [...]

Passover Pt 6

Today we’ll continue and conclude learning about the elements that are part of a Passover Seder (meal) and what they signify and how Jesus is the actual fulfilment of them all. In our last program we finished up by looking at the symbolic elements that are placed on the Seder Plate that sits in the [...]

Passover Pt 5

We’ve been looking at the Feast of Passover over the course of several previous programs. We’ve looked at Church history’s attitude to the Jewish Passover, we’ve looked at the account of God delivering His children from slavery in Egypt which is what Passover celebrates. We’ve also been looking at the step by step process of [...]

Passover Pt 4

Leviticus 23:4-5, 'These are the appointed times of the Lord, holy convocation which you shall proclaim at the times appointed them. In the first month on the fourteenth day of the month at twilight is the Lord's Passover.' For the last few programs we’ve been looking at the Feast of Passover. We learned about the [...]

Passover Pt 3

Leviticus 23:4-5, 'These are the appointed times of the Lord, holy convocation which you shall proclaim at the times appointed them. In the first month on the fourteenth day of the month at twilight is the Lord's Passover.' In the previous couple of programs we learned about the reasons behind the Christian church’s attitude toward [...]

Passover Pt 2

On our previous program, we learned about the changes made to the dating of the Christian celebration of Easter and why it differs to the dating of the Jewish feast of Passover. It was a blatant anti-Semitic decision to sever any kind of Jewish connection to the commemoration of the death and resurrection of Jesus [...]

Passover Pt 1

Leviticus 23:4-5, 'These are the appointed times of the Lord, holy convocation which you shall proclaim at the times appointed them. In the first month on the fourteenth day of the month at twilight is the Lord's Passover.' The celebration of Easter is really the Jewish feast of Passover which was instituted by God in [...]

Our Undefinable God Pt 2

We began looking at how our God is undefinable and how the pagan gods are not only many, but have always been defined by their names. They were a product of human need, the need to have a god for any and every situation in life. If a soldier went to war, he’d worship a [...]

Our Undefinable God Pt 1

Psalm 145:3 'Great is the Lord and highly to be praised, and His greatness is unsearchable.' We’ve regularly looked at the differing views and outlooks of both the Jewish/Eastern mindset and the Greek/Western mindset and how the positional outcomes can and often are poles apart. In our modern setting we could change the 'Greek' view [...]

Is Jesus Loving or Is He a Judge? It’s All About Context

Sometimes, the English language is just so frustrating! What do you think of when I say the word, 'crane'? Do you think of a bird? What about a huge machine that is used to lift heavy objects? Or perhaps you're thinking of someone who is stretching, 'craning' their neck to see something. You could only [...]

The Time Of Messiah’s Coming Pt 2

In our previous program we looked at a couple of prophecies about the Messiah, prophecies that not everyone realises are Messianic prophecies. Jewish Bible teachers, Rabbis and students have long known them to be about the Messiah but not necessarily the Christian world. We looked at the prophecy about the Messiah being born of a [...]

The Time Of Messiah’s Coming Pt 1

One of the most exciting and anticipated future events on both the Jewish and Christian calendars is the return of the Messiah. Jewish people are expecting Him for the first time, Christians are expecting Him for the second time. God imposed a very harsh discipline on His people for not recognising Him the first time [...]

Terrorism Vs Torah Pt 2

In the previous program we stated looking at what the Bible says about violence against the innocent and the value of human life. Terrorism has become a mainstay in the media and news reporting and because so many people don’t understand the Bible or the ancient cultures of that time, they tend to believe that [...]

Terrorism Vs Torah Pt 1

Psalm 11:4-5, 'The Lord is in His holy temple; the Lord's throne is in heaven; His eyes behold, His eyelids test the sons of men. The Lord tests the righteous and the wicked, and the one who loves violence His soul hates.' Proverbs 3:31-32, 'Don’t envy a man of violence and don’t choose any of [...]

A New Definition of WEIRD Pt 3

1 Corinthians 1:20-29, ‘Where is the wise man? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom didn’t come to know God, God was well-pleased through the foolishness of the message [...]

A New Definition of WEIRD Pt 2

1 Corinthians 1:20-29, ‘Where is the wise man? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom didn’t come to know God, God was well-pleased through the foolishness of the message [...]

A New Definition of WEIRD Pt 1

1 Corinthians 1:20-29, ‘Where is the wise man? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom didn’t come to know God, God was well-pleased through the foolishness of the message [...]

Such a Curse: A Messianic Look At Purim Pt 3

Adapted from an article by Mark Stover   In the last program we began looking at the celebration of Purim, it’s a celebration of God’s deliverance of His people when they lived in Ancient Persia, and wicked Haman hatched a plot to kill all the Jews, while planning a particularly nasty execution of Mordecai. In [...]

Such a Curse: A Messianic Look At Purim Pt 2

Adapted from an article by Mark Stover In our last program we learned a little about the reason behind the celebration of the feast of Purim. Purim means ‘lots’ as in casting lots to determine something. It’s really a pagan practice, a type of divination. A wicked man named Haman the Agagite, serving in the [...]

Such a Curse: A Messianic Look At Purim Pt 1

Adapted from an article by Mark Stover Esther 2:8-10, 'It came about when the command and decree of the king were heard and many young ladies were gathered to the citadel of Susa into the custody of Hegai, that Esther was taken to the king's palace into the custody of Hegai, who was in charge [...]

The Names Of God YAHWEH SHAMMAH

This is a very unique name and it’s particularly important because of its uniqueness and what it’s referring to.Ezekiel the prophet has some amazing prophecies about the nation of Israel and the Jewish people. Some people are very much aware of the chapters 38 & 39, in fact, some people aren’t aware that there are [...]

The Names Of God YAHWEH TSIDKENU

We’ve been learning about the various different names of God because each name reveals more and more about Him; about His characteristics, His attitudes, His love, His eternal-ness, His power…but even with all these names there’s still so much more to learn about Him. In this program, we’re going to learn about another name, Yahweh [...]

The Names Of God YAHWEH RA’AH

There are four places in the Bible where God is called by this name, Yahweh (Yeho’vah) Ra’ah. The most notable is in the Psalms. Psalm 23:1, ‘A Psalm of David. The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want.’ What’s beautiful about that particular line, the first line of that psalm, is that it explains [...]

The Names Of God YAHWEH SHALOM

We’ve been learning about various different names that God has and how each and every one of them presents to us different facets of His nature and character so that we can, in limited measure, get to know what He’s like. The Hebrew word for Shalom is a very well known Hebrew word. In everyday [...]

The Names Of God YAHWEH m’KADDESH

The name Yahweh (Yeho’vah) m’Kaddesh occurs only twice in the Bible. The first time in Exodus 31 and the second time in Leviticus 20. The word ‘ka’dash’ is used many times, but as a name, only twice. Exodus 31:13, ‘But as for you, speak to the sons of Israel, saying, “You shall surely observe My [...]

The Names Of God YAHWEH NISSI

We’ve been working our way through the various different names of God. Our God is uniquely different to other gods and deities in that He is everything and by everything I mean that other cultures have individual gods and goddesses for individual purposes. For example, there are gods and goddesses for healing, or for war, [...]

The Names Of God YAHWEH RAPHA

We’ve been learning about the different names that God uses to reveal different elements of His nature and character and in this program we’re going to look at the name Yahweh (Yaho’vah) Rapha. Exodus 15:22-26, ‘Then Moses led Israel from the Red Sea and they went out into the wilderness of Shur; and they went [...]

Names Of God Yahweh Jireh

Genesis 22:10-14, 'Abraham stretched out his hand and took the knife to slay his son. But the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, "Abraham, Abraham!" And he said, "Here I am." He said, "Don’t stretch out your hand against the lad, and do nothing to him; for now, I know [...]

The Names Of God YAHWEH

The name Yahweh (Yeho’vah) occurs more than 6,800 times in the Old Covenant, this name is referred to as the 'personal' name of the God of Israel. It appears in every book except for Esther, Ecclesiastes, and the Song of Songs or the Song of Solomon. This particular name - Yahweh - is known as [...]

The Names Of God ADONAI

Psalm 16:1-2, '"Preserve me, O God, for I take refuge in You." I said to Yahweh, "You are my Adonai; my goodness is nothing apart from You."' The Hebrew name Adonai is the plural form of the word 'Adon' which means 'Lord,' 'Master' or 'Owner' and the word Adon is derived from a Ugaritic* word [...]

The Names of God EL QANNA

We’ve been making our way through the names of God. There are many names by which He’s known and the reason for these many names is that they depict and reveal a different facet of His character and attributes. He’s so incredibly complex, that in order to make Himself known to us, He goes by [...]

The Names of God EL ELYON

Psalm 57:1-2, ‘Be gracious to me, O God, be gracious to me, for my soul takes refuge in You; and in the shadow of Your wings I’ll take refuge until destruction passes by. I’ll cry to God Most High, to God who accomplishes all things for me.’ We’ve been learning about the various different names [...]

The Names of God EL OLAM

Genesis 21:32-33, 'So they made a covenant at Beersheva; and Abimelech and Phicol, the commander of his army, arose and returned to the land of the Philistines. Abraham planted a tamarisk tree at Beersheva, and there he called on the name of the Lord, the Everlasting God.' El Olam (El Ow-lam) is another Hebrew name [...]

The Names of God EL SHADDAI

El Shaddai is another of God's names. God didn't reveal His names to the Patriarch's or His people all at the same time, but rather He revealed Himself and different aspects of His nature and character through His different names during different circumstances that they were experiencing and it was in these situations that they [...]

The Names of God EL ROI

Genesis 16:13-14, 'Then she called the name of the Lord who spoke to her, "You are a God who sees," for she said, "Have I even remained alive here after seeing Him?" Therefore, the well was called Beer-lahai-roi; behold, it is between Kadesh and Bered.' This passage of Scripture is the partial account of Hagar [...]

The Names of God ELOHIM

Genesis 1:1, 'In the beginning God - Elohim - created the heavens and the earth.' Elohim (Ello-heem) is the Hebrew word for God that appears in the very first sentence of the Bible. In fact, the name Elohim is a plural name in that the name ‘El’ (possibly ‘Eloah’) means God, and ‘him’ (heem) makes [...]

The Real Treasure On Mt Sinai Pt 2

In our previous program we began looking into the importance of the book of Leviticus, in spite of the fact that it’s quite confusing for us in our day and age. However, the rules and rituals of the Mosaic Law made perfect sense at that time as all cultures had codes of conduct and laws, [...]

The Real Treasure On Mt Sinai Pt 1

If we were sitting in a room together and we found out we were going to begin a study of the book of Leviticus, we'd probably hear a collective groan ripple around the room and the reason would be because Leviticus is a pretty tough-to-read book let alone understand. It's a book loaded with restrictions, [...]

How Can God Forget Our Sins? Pt 2

We asked the question in our previous program, “How can God forget our sins when God knows everything?” There are numerous places in the Bible that tell us that God will forget the sins of His people, Isaiah 43, Hebrews 8, Hebrews 10, Jeremiah 31, Psalm 103, but if God knows all things all the [...]

How Can God Forget Our Sins? Pt 1

Nothing is impossible for God right? Then how is it possible for God to forget our sins after He's forgiven them? It's sounds like a complete contradiction? Isaiah 43:25, "I, even I, am the one who wipes out your transgressions for My own sake, and I will not remember your sins." This is a remarkable [...]

The Untranslatable Word That Has Huge Meaning Pt 2

We started to look at the untranslatable word that is found in the Hebrew Bible but not in the English or other language translations. It’s a tiny little two letter word, את – ‘et’ which basically is referring to the alphabet, the ‘A to the Z’ is how we would likely express it. So before [...]

The Untranslatable Word That Has Huge Meaning Pt 1

Have you ever wondered where the alphabet comes from? The first two letters of the Hebrew alphabet are “aleph” and “bet”. But it is the first letter and the last letter that are used to denote the alphabet in shorthand… as we might write “ABC” for our alphabet, in Hebrew, “את” can be used: the [...]

Cracked Pots Pt 2

Human beings tend to look at themselves as having it all together, we’re in control of our destinies and we think we’re smart, intelligent and superior in all things. However, you don’t have to look at our societies too long or too hard to see that we’re actually none of those things. If we were, [...]

Cracked Pots Pt 1

Genesis 1:27, 'God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.' Genesis 2:7, 'Then the Lord God formed man of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.' These 2 verses in [...]

The Confusing Things Jesus Said Pt 2

We started out on our previous program by looking at the confusing words of Jesus in Matthew 18:8-9 where He said that if your hand, foot or eye causes you to sin, you should cut them off or pluck it out because it would be better to enter eternal life with some body parts missing [...]

The Confusing Things Jesus Said Pt 1

Matthew 18:8-9, Jesus said, "If your hand or your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it from you; it's better for you to enter life crippled or lame, than to have two hands or two feet and be cast into the eternal fire. If your eye causes you to stumble, pluck [...]

Orphans Pt 2

In our last program we began looking at the issue of orphans and how God laid out very clearly in His Word that He expected His people to be compassionate and caring toward orphans. This is very important to understand because it demonstrates very clearly how God views all men who are estranged from Him. [...]

Orphans Pt 1

James 1:26-27, "If anyone thinks himself to be religious, and yet does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this man's religion is worthless. Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the [...]

Corban Pt 2

We spent some time in our last program looking at the subject of corban. Making a sacred vow rashly, or making a vow that is actually contradictory to God’s Law and whether or not the maker of the vow is obligated to keep it. We looked at the rash vow made by Jephthah who sacrificed [...]

Corban Pt 1

You may or may not be a fan of the sitcom 'Seinfeld', I personally have never been a fan of the supposed 'funniest show on television' didn't ever make me laugh but I heard about an episode where Jerry and his friends discovered a great soup restaurant that was owned by a really short-tempered man. [...]

Being Sheep Pt 2

We began in our previous program by reading Psalm 100 and how God describes His people as being the sheep of His pasture. For most of us, being described as a farm animal isn’t so fantastic at first hearing, but when you begin to see what the relationship is between the Good Shepherd and His [...]

Being Sheep Pt 1

Psalm 100, 'Shout joyfully to the Lord, all the earth. Serve the Lord with gladness; come before Him with joyful singing. Know that the Lord Himself is God; it’s He who’s made us, and not we ourselves; we are His people and the sheep of His pasture. Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts [...]

Knowing Our King. Approaching Our King. Pt 2

We finished off in our previous program by looking at the authority of monarchs and their absolute rule over their subjects and that they gained their sovereignty from God. Therefore, they stood as a representative of God to rule over the people. We can understand that and we have examples in our own human history [...]

Knowing Our King. Approaching Our King. Pt 1

The Apostle John said at the end of his Gospel account of the life and ministry of Jesus the following words... John 20:30-31, "Therefore many other signs Jesus also performed in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these have been written so that you may believe that Jesus [...]

What Does ‘Christ’ Actually Mean? Pt 2

We began in our previous program to learn about what the word ‘Christ’ means, most of us know that it means ‘anointed’ but we also discovered that in the overwhelming majority of places in the Old Covenant, the word was used in conjunction with the anointing of a king. So the word Christ is referring [...]

What Does ‘Christ’ Actually Mean? Pt 1

When we use the name Jesus Christ we know exactly who we're referring to; we're referring to the Son of God whose life and exploits are detailed in the Gospel accounts of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, but there are many people who don't actually know what the word Christ means. Many Christians have grown [...]

What’s So Wrong with Mixing Wool & Linen?

In previous programs we learned about the significance of the Tzit-Tzit or tassels that God commanded His people attach to the four corners of their clothes and that they were representative of several things... They essentially set the entire nation of Israel apart as a distinct people among the nations because they were a depiction [...]

Hebrew Roots of Our Faith – The Richness of Jewish Prayer Pt 2

In our previous program we started looking at the richness of Jewish prayer, not so we can begin to sound Jewish but to understand what their emphasis was and how they have allowed it to permeate every corner and crevice of their lives. We finished by looking at the meaning of the Hebrew word for [...]

A King Who Suffers For His Kingdom

During ‘Passion Week’ each year, Christians all over the world focus on the death and resurrection of Jesus. I don’t think there’s a more appropriate chapter on the sacrifice of Jesus than Isaiah 53, which prophesies God’s shocking plan to send His ‘Servant’ to die for the sins of His people. Verses 6-7 will probably [...]

Letting Our Tassels Show Pt 3

In our last couple of programs we’ve learned why the Jews wear the tassels or tzitzit on the corners of their clothing, why they have to be visible and what the tzitzit represents; authority, royalty, nobility as well as the spiritual perspective of the priesthood. The Jews received the commission of being a light to [...]

Letting Our Tassels Show Pt 2

We learned in our previous program that the tassels worn by Jewish people for the past 4,000 years is because God commanded them to do so. They were to be visible and they were to serve as a reminder to them to always be aware of and obedient to His Word. The tzitzit themselves were [...]

Letting Our Tassels Show Pt 1

Most of the Old Covenant laws seem arbitrary, unreasonable and even somewhat senseless or pointless to us; one command in particular appears to be a bit odd and it’s the commandment to wear tassels. Numbers 15:37-39, ‘The Lord spoke to Moses saying, “Speak to the sons of Israel, and tell them that they shall make [...]

Clean From Unclean Pt 2

In our last program, we tried to understand how something clean could actually come from something unclean. How is that even possible. We looked at the preciousness of pearls and how valuable they are, but that this treasure comes out of a shell fish which according to the Law of God, is unclean. The parable [...]

Clean From Unclean Pt 1

When God speaks and it doesn’t make sense to us, that doesn’t mean it doesn’t make sense. It just means we don’t understand it. For instance, how could God declare someone who was unclean to be clean simply by sprinkling them with the ashes of the red heifer? What does that even mean? How can [...]

Hebrew Roots of Our Faith – The Richness of Jewish Prayer Pt 1

Over the past little while we've looked at how important it is to understand the culture and setting of the Scripture in order to understand the intention and specific meaning and definition of what was said and why. Understanding customs also helps us understand what was said and taught as well, and it's been to [...]

The Saga & Drama of Genesis?

Those who believe that the Bible, particularly the Old Covenant portion, is the Word of God, sometimes have difficulty in explaining how God could condone and even use some of the people who are listed in it as being ‘God’s people’! There are many things that are just too hard to explain but that task [...]

Jewish Logic – Measure for Measure Pt 2

We began learning about the Jewish logic of ‘Measure for Measure’ and in particular with a view to judging on a personal basis. There are many different kinds of judgment in the Bible, the majority of them are 100% God’s domain, but in some instances we are called to judge and make determinations. There is [...]

Jewish Logic – Measure for Measure Pt 1

We looked at little bit in an earlier program about righteous judging, and the program today is in a similar vein. We’re going to look at judging others on a more personal level or at least, what our responses to others should look like. Matthew 7:1-2, “Don’t judge, so that you won’t be judged. For [...]

The Role of Women In The Bible Pt 2

In our previous program, we looked at two very well-known women in the Old Covenant, Ruth and Rahab. We learned that women in ancient cultures lived at the very bottom of the social ladder and had to worship as their family worshiped and when they married, they were expected to worship as their husbands worshiped. [...]

The Role of Women In The Bible Pt 1

In this program, we’re going to look at the role of women in the Bible, specifically looking at 2 women in particular, Ruth and Rahab. Throughout history in most cultures of the world, women always seemed to be on the lowest social status, that they lived very much at the beck and call or whims [...]

A Kosher Mouth

Proverbs 18:20-21, ‘With the fruit of a man’s mouth his stomach will be satisfied; he’ll be satisfied with the product of his lips. Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit.’ The word Kosher actually means ‘clean, pure, proper or lawful’. It became common [...]

Judging Righteously Everyday

Luke 6:35-38, ‘But love your enemies and do good and lend, expecting nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for He Himself is kind to ungrateful and evil men. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. Don’t judge and you won’t be judged; [...]

Gaining A Good Eye

During the last couple of programs, we talked about what it means when someone says, “Walking in the dust of our Rabbi” and we learned that in Ancient Israel the disciples of Rabbis endeavoured to learn from and imitate their teachers to the point that they even adopted their habits and personas; they would even [...]

Walking In The Dust Of Our Rabbi Pt 3

On our last program we began looking at what it means to walk in the dust of our Rabbi and we took a look at the difference between the Greek and Hebrew mindsets. Because the Hebrew mindset is primarily practical, physical and literal, it’s important that we understand the correct context of the Bible and [...]

Walking In The Dust Of Our Rabbi Pt 2

We began in our previous program to look at what it means to walk in the dust of our Rabbi, we learned a little bit about how without the understand of the Jewish cultural context of Jesus day or the setting that the Bible was written in, we can easily put our own spin on [...]

Walking In The Dust Of Our Rabbi Pt 1

Throughout the centuries different countries have pictured Jesus through the lens of their own culture. An artist in Peru would paint Him with dark braided hair and a poncho with a Peruvian face, while artists in Europe have painted Him with blond hair and blue eyes and the Ethiopians portray Him as a tall black [...]

Living Water Pt 2

On the last program we learned about the painting of Leonardo da Vinci’s painting, the Last Supper, and how it took 22 years for a restoration work to be done on it. The end result was a picture that looked very different but still the same. The errors were fixed, the colours were bright and [...]

Living Water Pt 1

Before we get into the subject of Living Water, I want to give another analogy to emphasise why the Jewish or Hebrew foundations of our faith are so important. Leonardo da Vinci’s ‘Last Supper’ was painted in 1498 and over the centuries it fell into a terrible state. Some of the paint was flaking off [...]

Shema pt 10 – ‘Love Your Neighbour As Yourself’

We’re still learning about Shema, which is found in Deuteronomy 6:4-9 and 11:13-21 and Numbers 15:37-41. ("Shema Israel, Adonai elohenu, Adonai echad. Barukh shem kevod malkhuto le'olam va'ed" (Hear O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul [...]

Shema pt 9 – ‘Love Your Neighbour As Yourself’

For the past little while on foundations, we’ve been learning about Shema and in particular the elements that make up Shema. What exactly is Shema? Shema is found in Deuteronomy 6:4-9 and 11:13-21 and Numbers 15:37-41. ("Shema Israel, Adonai elohenu, Adonai echad. Barukh shem kevod malkhuto le'olam va'ed" (Hear O Israel, the Lord our God, [...]

Shema Pt 8 – ‘Soul’

For the past little while on foundations, we’ve been learning about Shema and in particular the elements that make up Shema. What exactly is Shema? Shema is found in Deuteronomy 6:4-9 and 11:13-21 and Numbers 15:37-41. ("Shema Israel, Adonai elohenu, Adonai echad. Barukh shem kevod malkhuto le'olam va'ed" (Hear O Israel, the Lord our God, [...]

Shema Pt 7 – ‘Soul’

We’ve been looking at Shema over the past number programs as we dig into the Hebrew roots of our faith. Shema is found in Deuteronomy 6:4-9 and 11:13-21 and Numbers 15:37-41. ("Shema Israel, Adonai elohenu, Adonai echad. Barukh shem kevod malkhuto le'olam va'ed" (Hear O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. You [...]

Shema Pt 6 – ‘Love’

In our previous program we began looking at the meaning of the word love that is mentioned in Shema. What is ‘Shema’? "Shema Israel, Adonai elohenu, Adonai echad. Barukh shem kevod malkhuto le'olam va'ed" (Hear O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. You shall love the Lord your God with all your [...]

Shema Pt 5 – ‘Love’

We’ve been looking at Shema for the past 2 weeks, Shema is the #1 item that Jewish people learn from the moment they’re born. What is Shema? "Shema Israel, Adonai elohenu, Adonai echad. Barukh shem kevod malkhuto le'olam va'ed" (Hear O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. You shall love the Lord [...]

Shema Pt 4 – ‘One’

We've been learning about Shema, something Jewish people are taught from the moment they're born. What is Shema? Shema is more than just a statement of belief but rather it's a blueprint, or maybe it's better to say it's God's requirement or command for living and it's something He in fact established for His people. [...]

Shema Pt 3 – ‘One’

On the last couple of programs, we looked at the first portion of Shema, in particular the portion that revealed to us that Shema which translated as ‘hear’ actually means to ‘obey’ what God says in His Word. It’s a call to active obedience. What is the Shema? There will always be those who get [...]

Shema Pt 2 – ‘Hear’

On our previous program, we began looking at Shema, and the moving account of Rabbi Eliezer Silver, in 1945 trying to locate displaced Jewish children who were taken to a Monastery to save them from the Nazis. Their names and identities had been changed for security reasons, but he found them by singing Shema. Shema [...]

Shema Pt 1 – ‘Hear’

In 1945, Rabbi Eliezer Silver headed a search for displaced Jewish children all across Europe who’d been hidden from the Nazi’s on farms, in convents and monasteries and he desperately wanted to return them to their families if at all possible. There was a particular monastery in the south of France that had taken in [...]

A Final Look at Why Hebrew Foundations Are So Important

Have you ever heard a one-sided telephone conversation? You might be able to identify the topic being discussed and you might even be able to judge if the conversation is friendly or hostile. You might be able to determine the end result of the conversation, but without hearing both sides of the conversation, you really [...]

The First Jerusalem Council: Do Gentiles Have To Become Jews To Be Saved?

During the early years of the church, after Pentecost and the evidence of the resurrection when hundreds of people saw the Lord and believed, the church grew very rapidly and all the first believers were Jews. When Peter preached the Gospel in Jerusalem during the feast of Pentecost, all those who repented that day were [...]

The Bible: Jewish Scribes & The Dead Sea Scrolls

There has always been people who say that the Bible is unreliable, that it's merely a collection of myths and fables and that as a historical document, it's completely untrustworthy because it's been distorted and altered throughout history. These accusations aren't leveled at other historical documents however, only the Bible. Before I look at how [...]

The Jewishness Of The New Testament

One of the greatest frustrations I have is with Christians who never read the Old Covenant. I actually don't like the name 'Old Testament' and 'New Testament', I wish they were called the First Testament and the Second Testament, because the word 'old' infers that it's obsolete and no longer relavent. However, to understand the [...]

The Importance of the Hebrew Foundations of Christianity

Often times when someone mentions this subject...the Hebrew foundations of Christianity they immediately think of Christians who've gone a bit strange and start acting all Jewish, people who begin to be more Jewish than the Jews. It's little wonder that some people are wary of this subject but that's not at all the point. In [...]

Rain Pt 2

In our last program we began to learn about why the rain is so important in Israel, and that when Psalm 126:5-6 describes sowing in tears and reaping in joy, it’s really a lesson in trusting God for sustenance. In a desert region that has a seriously limited amount of rainfall, sowing your seed in [...]

Rain Pt 1

The phrase, “Mashiv Ha’Ruach u’morid hagashem” is a praise included in the daily prayers of observant Jews, it’s a praise to God who controls both the wind and the rain, it’s a prayer that God will cause the wind to blow and the rain to fall and in particular, that it will fall after the [...]

Menorah Pt 2

We started to learn about the significance of the Menorah, the seven branched candlestick that God said had to be made as one of the items of furniture in the Tabernacle. We learned that God called His Jewish people to be a light to the nations and that Jesus called His followers to also be [...]

Menorah Pt 1

Probably more than any other symbol, the Menorah is the most notable and the most obviously Jewish. The Star of David ranks right up there now, but for millennia, long before the Star of David was adopted, the Menorah was the primary symbol of the Jewish national people. There are others to be sure, symbols [...]

Colouring Inside The Lines

Exodus 20:17, ‘You shall not covet your neighbours house; you shall not covet your neighbours wife or his male servant or his female servant or his ox or his donkey or anything that belongs to your neighbour.’ What is it about coveting that makes it so heinous? This answer from the Gospel Coalition explains the [...]

Original Sin…Christian or Jewish?

What is the doctrine of original sin? Basically, it’s the understanding that God created His human creations perfect and without sin. Then, Eve was tempted by Satan to eat the fruit from a particular tree that God had said was strictly forbidden and once she ate it, she encouraged her husband Adam to also eat [...]

Pardes: Jewish Exegesis Pt 3 ‘Derash’

Over the past couple of programs we’ve learned about two different levels or methods of interpreting the Scripture according to the Jewish mindset and understanding. There are four levels of Jewish interpretation of the Bible and they are: Pardes is a Hebrew word that is really an acronym. P             - Peshat - this is the [...]

Pardes: Jewish Exegesis Pt 2 ‘Remez’

We began learning last time about the levels of Jewish interpretation of Scripture. There are four levels and each level has a name, they have collectively been given a name which is an acronym of the four. Pardes is a Hebrew word that is really an acronym. P             - Peshat - this is the plain, [...]

Pardes: Jewish Exegesis Pt 1 ‘Peshat’

Pardes is a Hebrew word that is really an acronym. P             - Peshat - this is the plain, literal or ‘simple’ meaning of the text R             - Remez - this is a ‘hint’ that there’s an allegorical or symbolic meaning of the text D             - Derash - this is to interpret or discover an ethical [...]

The Will Of God Pt 4 ‘Sovereign Will’

We’ve spent that last three programs looking are various aspects of the will of God, a very complex and multi-layered concept that is a little more understandable when you break it down. The four categories are: God’s ‘decretive’ will God’s ‘preceptive’ will God’s ‘permissive’ will God’s ‘sovereign’ will which is by far the most complex [...]

The Will Of God Pt 3 ‘Permissive Will’

In the last couple of programs we covered the subject of God’s will which for many believers is complex and hard to understand. We hear all that time that God has a plan for our lives and that this plan is His will for us, but what does that mean? Well, the will of God [...]

The Will Of God Pt 2 ‘Preceptive Will’

We’ve began learning about the will of God in our last program, discovering that there are different categories within the concept of God’s will. The four categories are: God’s ‘decretive’ will, which we looked at last time God’s ‘preceptive’ will God’s ‘permissive’ will God’s ‘sovereign’ will (which is almost the same as His decretive will [...]

The Will Of God Pt 1 ‘Decretive Will’

There are a lot of Christians who want to know what the will of God is for their lives, the problem is that they don’t really know or understand what the will of God is. In fact you can segment the will of God into four categories and these help us get a better handle [...]

Comparison Of Priesthoods Pt 2

Last time we looked at the character traits of Melchizedek, priest and king before the One True God. His name means ‘Prince of Righteousness’ and he was king in the city of Salem, which means ‘City or abode of Peace’, which eventually become Jerusalem ‘Yeru-salem’. It also means that it’s the place where peace will [...]

Comparison Of Priesthoods Pt 1

We’re going to spend a couple of programs looking at the role of the priesthood, in particular the person of Melchizedek and how he compares to Jesus and then we’ll compare the priesthood of Melchizedek and Aaron and learn why they were so important. First of all, who was Melchizedek? In truth, there’s no way [...]

Pardes: Jewish Exegesis Pt 4 ‘Sod’

We’ve spent that past three programs learning about the different levels of Jewish interpretation of the Bible. They’re incredibly fascinating and interesting, but the thing that comes through to me the most, is the absolute necessity and importance of maintaining and protecting the plain, obvious meaning of the text as it was originally written. All [...]

Another Boring List Pt 2

Last time we looked at why the apparently boring genealogies and places that list names of people in the Bible are so important. We looked at the genealogies of Jesus in Matthew 1 and Luke 3 and how they were both accurate in spite of the fact they were different. One showed Jesus lineage through [...]

The Trinity Pt 3

In the last couple of programs we’ve been discussing the Trinity. This is a complex doctrine, it’s not easy to understand and for the Jewish mind it’s incomprehensible. But there are many references in the Old Covenant portion of the Bible that identify the personages that make up the Godhead; The Father, The Son and [...]

The Trinity Pt 2

We began to look at the subject of the Trinity last time, it’s not a small or even easy subject to get our head around. To the Jewish mind it’s idolatrous because it appears to be the worship of three gods. The idea that God would have a Son is also hard to comprehend in [...]

The Trinity Pt 1

Probably more than any other doctrine in the Christian faith, the doctrine of the Trinity is the most difficult one for Jewish people to deal with. Trying to get their head around God having a Son who came to earth in human form is just too great a stretch to believe. They’re not alone either, [...]

Is The Old Testament Still Relevant Today? Pt 1

During many teaching sessions by Dr Chuck Missler, he often said that the page between the Old and New Testaments should be torn out because really, the Old and New Testaments are the same book…the New is simply the continuation of the Old, or the completion and fulfilment of the Old. We’ve mentioned before that [...]

Is The Old Testament Still Relevant Today? Pt 2

We began last time asking the question of whether or not the Old Testament is irrelevant and that many Christians don’t believe it is. They base this premise on one verse in the book of Hebrews. Hebrews 8:13, ‘When He (God) said, “A new covenant”, He made the first obsolete. But whatever is becoming obsolete [...]

The Leper Messiah Pt 2

Last time we began looking at how the Law’s of God appeared to exclude people with physical disabilities and diseases, at least in regard to Temple entrance and worship. We learned that this had nothing to do with God’s rejection or hatred of such people, in fact the opposite was true, but rather it was [...]

The Leper Messiah Pt 1

Sometimes we use the word “leper” to describe someone as being persona non-grata, treated like a leper… someone rejected by the majority, and left out in the cold. It’s an experience most of us have had at one time or another and it’s a horrible thing to experience. It’s also something Jesus experienced Himself. The Talmud, [...]

Messiah: Suffering Servant Or Victorious King? Pt 2

In our last program we began a discussion about how the Jewish view of Messiah is split into two categories, Mashiach ben Yosef – Messiah son of Joseph and Mashiach ben Da’vid – Messiah son of David. The common understanding among many religious Jews is that depending on how the Jewish people are conducting themselves [...]

Messiah: Suffering Servant Or Victorious King? Pt 1

We mentioned in a previous program while discussing the identity of the person mentioned in Isaiah 53 that rabbis and religious Jewish leaders for most of the past 2000 years have denied that the identity is that of the Messiah, and that rather it’s talking about the Jewish people as an ethnic collective. We know [...]

What Does The Word ‘Hebrew’ Mean?

Abram was called “Abraham the Hebrew” in Genesis 14:13, which is the first time that the word is used in the Bible. Where did this term come from, and what does it mean? The word “Hebrew” in the Hebrew language is עברי (Ivrie). The root letters that are used mean cross over, or pass through. [...]

Stringing Pearls

Jesus taught from the Old Covenant Scriptures and He used techniques that were common practice by rabbis and teachers for hundreds of years. One of those techniques was called ‘Gezerah Shevah’ or ‘Comparison of Equals’ which basically means that a passage of Scripture can expand on another passage of Scripture if they share the same [...]

Isaiah 53: About Messiah or The People of Israel? Pt 2

In our last program we learned that historically, Jewish rabbis and sages, or Jewish religious authorities always believed that the identity of the Servant mentioned in Isaiah 53 was that of their future Messiah. However, in later centuries, in a bid to combat the ever-growing belief or teaching in Christianity that the Messiah was identified [...]

Isaiah 53: About Messiah or The People of Israel? Pt 1

Without a doubt, Isaiah 53 is one of the most significant chapters in the Old Covenant regarding the Messiah. It’s also one of the most troubling chapters for the rabbis, because it prophesies very clearly that the Messiah will be rejected by His own people, will suffer, and will die for the sins of humanity. [...]

Doors & Ear Piercings Pt 3

Over the last couple of programs we’ve looked a little more closely at what it meant to be a slave, or more specifically a bond-slave in ancient Israel and the process that took place when a slave decided that he didn’t want to leave his master after six years of service, but wanted to rather [...]

Doors & Ear Piercings Pt 2

Last time we began looking at what slavery looked like in ancient Israel and how it was completely different to slavery in the rest of the world. Slavery was a fact of life in that time, sadly it still is today, however God’s view of slavery doesn’t look anything like the world’s standard of slavery. [...]

Doors & Ear Piercings Pt 1

When we learned about the names of God, one of the names we learned about was the name Adonai, which means Lord, Master and even Owner and we tackled the uncomfortable truth that if we who know, love and worship God - Adonai, then we belong to Him, He owns us and we are His [...]

The Mistake of Western Theology Pt 2

In our last program we took a look at the parable of the prodigal son from an eastern perspective, rather than from a western perspective and it looks really quite different. We also learned what an appalling offense it would have been for a son to request his inheritance before his father has passed away…it [...]

The Mistake of Western Theology Pt 1

Luke 15:17-24, ‘But when he came to himself he said, “How many of my father’s hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger! I’ll arise and go to my father, and I’ll say to him, ‘Father, I’ve sinned against heaven and before you. I’m no longer worthy to be called [...]

The Wisdom of Hebrew Words

The Hebrew words of the Bible are incredibly rich not only because of their history but also because of their meaning. Like all languages, words have meaning and are used to communicate; the Hebrew alphabet has a fascinating history and progression, originally the Hebrew characters were symbols and over the course of very early centuries [...]

Does God Really Want Us To Fear Him?

In our last program we began looking at what the Bible means when it says we should fear God. It doesn’t mean being terrified and scared of Him, but rather to have a reverential awe and respect for Him. The Hebrew word for fear that is mostly used in the Bible is ‘yirah’ and the [...]

Does God Really Want Us To Fear Him?

The word “fear” is common in the Old Covenant, and to many it sounds like we should cringe in dread of God’s presence. Of course, we also find “fear” in the New Covenant too. The Gentiles who believed in God were called God-fearers, and the early church was said to be built up in the [...]

What’s In A Name? Pt 2

In yesterday’s program we started to look at the importance of names. It’s become quite a trend within the Hollywood community to name their children really, strange and bizarre names, and you know that growing up with a strange name can be hard on kids. We also learned that in ancient Jewish culture names were [...]

What’s In A Name? Pt 1

Why are names so incredibly important to us? Why do we put so much emphasis and effort into choosing just the right name for our children? We look at the origins of names and what they mean and we want to select the best names possible for our children…why? In some cultures choosing a name [...]